ambon

A1M3B3O1N1

proper noun

An island of Moluccas, Indonesia.

OriginOld Javanese Ambwan →
UncommonScrabble 9
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Meanings

ambon1

nounambon (plural ambons)

plural ambons

  1. alternativeAlternative form of ambo.

Ambon2

proper noun
  1. An island of Moluccas, Indonesia.
  2. A city, the provincial capital of Maluku, Indonesia.

Origin

  1. Old JavaneseAmbwan“Ambon”
  2. EnglishAmbon

Ultimately from Old Javanese Ambwan (“Ambon”), attested in the Nagarakṛtāgama, likely through Classical Malay and reinforced by modern Indonesian. Compare nearby names such as Fordata Yabun. See also Amboyna, ultimately from Portuguese, and likely from a similar source.

More words from Old Javanese

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 安汶
  • 安汶 (Ānwèn)city in Indonesia
Indonesian Ambon
  • Ambonisland in Indonesia
Malay Ambon
  • Ambonisland in Indonesia

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

MabonBomanNambo
Cite this entry
APA

ambon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ambon

MLA

“ambon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ambon. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ambon,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ambon.

Source: ambon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.